The United States urgently needs a sustained national conversation regarding how to realize greater value in our crossborder trade with Mexico, and the benefits of increasing efficiencies at our shared border. As the export sector assumes more importance and the U.S. economy struggles to create high-quality jobs, our nation needs to discover every dollar of value in our relationship with our nation’s number two export market: Mexico

North American competitiveness is jeopardized by the transactional costs of internal borders. The advantage of proximity for just-in-time supply chains cannot be overstated. Even though the two smart/secure border accords had a number of common objectives there was no scorecard to track progress. Part of realizing the value of trade and the value of our neighbors is to change the story about borders and cast off the stereotypes of Canada and Mexico in the United States.